Tool holder



March 6, 1962 L. A. WALLACE TOOL HOLDER Filed Aug. 8, 1960 INVENTOR. LAWRENCE A. WALLACE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,923,649 T001. HOLDER Lawrence A. Wallace, 5116 SE. Raymond St., Portland, Oreg. Filed Aug. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 48,288 1 Claim. (Cl. 81-1) This invention relates to a tool holder, and has particular applicability to a holder for such tools as chisels, punches or the like adapted to be struck by a hammer or sledge.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of an improved holder of this character which extends at right angles to the tool to be struck and holds the tool firmly but with relative flexibility, so that the tool may be held with one hand and hammered with the other by a single individual.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which due to its inherent flexibility precludes the shock to the hand of the holder which is normally imparted thereto when a chisel or the like is held by a rigid tool and struck by a hammer or sledge.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be readily adapted to a variety of sizes of chisels or the like, and which will hold the tool firmly and securely with a minimum of adjustment.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a tool embodying features of the instant invention shown as holding a chisel or punch.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side view partially in elevation, partially in section of one form of tool showing the instant invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of the tool of FIG. 2 as viewed from the right, the chisel being removed.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the tool of the instant invention is generally indicated at 10, and comprises a shank 11 and an operating handle 12. The shank 11 is provided internally with a rectangular bore 13, in which is mounted a square block 14, which has secured to one end thereof a screw 15 which extends through an opening 16 in the end 17 of the shank. The rectangular bore 13 opens into a relatively large tubular bore 18, which extends to an end piece 20 which is fixedly secured to the open end of the shank 11. End piece 20 is provided with an elongated oval opening 21, which is provided upon its outer surface with a flange or lip 22, which is generally V-shaped in configuration, as indicated at 23 in FIG. 1 to provide a recess against which a tool 25 may seat. The tool 25 is adapted to be held securely in the V-shaped notch of the opening by means of a wire cable construction 26, which extends rearwardly 3,023,649 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 "ice through the bore 18 and the rectangular bore 13 and has its ends firmly secured in the block 14 as indicated at 27.

Means are provided for tightening clamping wire member 26 in position about tool 25 and take the form of the previously mentioned operating handle 12 which is provided with an end portion 30 having a threaded bore 31 therein which is engaged by the screw 15. The end of the screw 15 has a head 32, which is linearly movable in a bore 33 in the hollow interior of operating handle 12.

From the foregoing the operation of the device should now be readily understandable. Rotation of the operating handle 12 in one direction will move the block 14 linearly to the right as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, to provide a slack loop at the open end of the tool. The chisel or punch or other tool is then inserted in the slack of a loop, and rotation of operating handle 12 in the opposite direction will cause the linear movement of screw 15 to move the block 14 away from the open end of the device firmly to clamp the tool or chisel as indicated in FIG. 1, with the tool thus firmly clamping against the V-shaped mouth 23 of the open end 21. It will be understood that the handle 12 or shank 11 may be firmly grasped with one hand, while the other hand wields a hammer or sledge or the like to strike the chisel 25.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved tool holder, which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be undersotod that all matter herein isto be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In a tool holder, in combination, an elongated tubular shank having an open end and a rectangular bore therein and a knurled outer surface, a rectangular block movable in said bore, a flexible cable forming a loop projecting from said open end and having its ends secured in said block, screw means secured to said block and rotatable to move said block to tighten said cable whereby to hold the tool engaged by said loop against said open end, said screw means including a screw fixed to the end of said block away from said open end, and an elongated tubular operating handle having a knurled outer surface of the same diameter as said shank aligned with said shank at the end opposite said open end and having a threaded bore into which said screw extends and an enlarged smooth bore, said screw having a head movable in said enlarged bore and serving as a limit stop, said operating handle being rotatable to move said screw and hence said block linearly, said open end including an elongated oval opening and a lip surrounding said opening and provided with a central depression therein within which said tool is adapted to seat.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,498,934 Webb Feb. 28, 1950 2,522,190 Mouser Sept. 12, 1950 2,693,015 Richards et al Nov. 2, 1954 2,889,726 Strabeck June 9, 1959 

